This invention relates to a novel melt processible, multi-phase thermoplastic composition of a crystalline polyolefin resin, a crosslinked elastomeric ethylene/alkyl acrylate copolymer and a method for making such thermoplastic compositions.
Blends of plastics and elastomers are generally not compatible with each other and the resulting compositions have unsatisfactory physical properties. Frequently, the elastomer component of such blend is uncured which results in a composition having high compression set and high oil swell. However, it is advantageous to blend crystalline polymers with certain elastomers in such a manner that they are compatible with each other and result in thermoplastic elastomer compositions that have good elastomeric characteristics and stress-strain properties, e.g., excellent oil swell resistance and tensile strength, adequate percent elongation and compression set resistance. Scrap material of the thermoplastic compositions should be capable of being reground and reprocessed with substantially no significant change in the physical properties of the thermoplastic composition. Further, it is important, especially from an economic standpoint that the thermoplastic compositions are easily processible on both thermoplastic equipment or on conventional rubber processing equipment with little or no modification.